This is where many of the 14 restaurants will be, and at the level of the exiting Exeter Street viaduct.

The 12-screen Cineworld multiplex will be situated over this, with the much-vaunted IMAX digital screen at the St Andrew’s Cross end, and screens along both sides of the new block, on Exeter Street and Bretonside.

The cinema will contain 2,140 seats in total.

Mr Bowyer used a podger, a type of spanner, to tighten a nut and symbolically mark the start of the steel construction.

Time Line

Drake Circus Leisure multiplex – at a glance

November 2017 –

Construction of British Land’s 100,000sq ft leisure complex starts at the former coach station

February 2018 –

The steel skeleton starts to emerge. A total of 36km of steel will be used – enough to stretch from Drake Circus to Launceston Castle.

April 2018 –

Floors start going in. The building will have a floor area of 8,965sq m, the same as two football pitches or 34 tennis courts.

May 2018 –

Cladding will start to be added to form the external walls. One lane of the Exeter Street carriageway will close so plant can be used to attach the cladding. The road will remain open however.

August 2018 –

Steel skeleton completed. The frame will be held together by 18,126 bolts and will weigh 2,500 tonnes – the same as 40 Airbus A320 airplanes.

September 2018 –

Flooring due to be completed, work will start on internal walls with specialists brought in to construct the acoustic walls needed in the Cineworld multiplex.

December 2018 –

Cladding work due to end. The frame will be held together by 18,126 bolts and will weigh 2,500 tonnes – the same as 40 Airbus A320 airplanes.

Summer 2019 –

The 14 restaurant units due to be completed. Zizzi and Fankie & Benny's are already confirmed to be moving in.

October 2019 –

Entire building due to be completed, including the 420-space car park. The 12-screen Cineworld multiplex, with the much-vaunted IMAX digital screen, will contain 2,140 seats in total. Above the cinemas will be the hotly-anticipated skybar.